Process for selective removal of acid gases from fluid streams using a hybrid solvent mixture

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a process for regenerating a hybrid solvent used to remove contaminants from a fluid stream and to provide an improved yield of purified fluid. Said process comprises at least two purification units and at least one regeneration unit wherein regenerated lean hybrid solvent and condensed water from the regeneration unit is used to reclaim additional purified fluid in the second purification unit.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a process for regenerating a hybrid solvent used to remove contaminants from a fluid stream and improving the yield of the resulting purified stream. Preferably, said fluid stream is a natural gas stream.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fluid streams derived from natural gas reservoirs, petroleum or coal, often contain a significant amount of acid gases, for example carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, carbon disulfide, carbonyl sulfide, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, or mercaptans as impurities. Said fluid streams may be gas, liquid, or mixtures thereof, for example gases such as natural gas, refinery gas, hydrocarbon gases from shale pyrolysis, synthesis gas, and the like or liquids such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and natural gas liquids (NGL). Various compositions and processes for removal of acid gas contaminants are known and described in the literature.

Acid gas removal from gas streams, particularly removal of hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide from gas streams formed in refinery process units, synthesis gas production plants and oil and gas production facilities, is necessary to allow this gas to be used and/or sold into pipeline systems. The removal of sulfur compounds from these acid gases or “sour gases” is called “sweetening.”

Typically, acid gases are removed using a solvent to remove the acid gas via the production of a rich solvent. For example, it is well-known to treat such fluid streams with chemical solvents, physical solvents, or combinations thereof. Chemical solvents such as amine solutions rely on a chemical reaction between the solvent and acid gas contaminants. The amine usually contacts the acidic gas contaminants in the fluid stream as an aqueous solution containing the amine in an absorber tower with the aqueous amine solution contacting the fluid stream counter currently. The regeneration of chemical solvents is achieved by the application of heat.

Alternatively, fluid streams may be treated with physical solvents, such as refrigerated methanol, dialkyl ethers of polyethylene glycols (DEPG), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidones (NMP), propylene carbonate, and the like which do not react chemically with the acid gas impurities. Physical solvents dissolve (absorb) the acid gas contaminants from the fluid stream, typically under high pressure. Since no chemical reactions are involved, physical solvent processes usually require less energy than chemical solvent processes. While the regeneration of chemical solvents is achieved by the application of heat, physical solvents can be stripped of impurities by reducing the pressure without the application of heat. Physical solvents tend to be favored over chemical solvents when the partial pressures of acid gases or other impurities are very high. Unlike chemical solvents, physical solvents are non-corrosive, requiring only carbon steel construction.

Acid gas contaminants are removed by contacting the contaminated product gas with fresh solvent in an absorber or other specialized equipment operated under conditions of high pressure and/or low temperature which are favorable for the type of solvent used. Once the contaminants are removed, the decontaminated gas is ready for sale, for use, or for additional downstream conditioning, depending on the product stream specifications. The solvent is regenerated for reuse by driving off the absorbed contaminants under low pressure and/or high temperature conditions favorable for desorption. Flash tanks and/or stripper columns are typically used to effect this separation.

While numerous prior art processes and systems for acid gas absorption and solvent regeneration are known in the art, many suffer from one or more disadvantage or inefficiency. There is an ever-existing desire to further improve these technologies, e.g., in respect of purification and energy consumption.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to improve conventional solvent regeneration technology for use in processing fluid streams.

In one embodiment the present invention is a process for treating a hydrocarbon fluid stream containing one or more acid gas, preferably the fluid stream is derived from natural gas and is a gas, a liquid, or mixtures thereof comprising the steps of: i) absorbing one or more acid gas from the hydrocarbon fluid stream in a first purification unit by counter currently contacting the fluid stream with a lean hybrid solvent comprising a chemical solvent, preferably is monoethanolamine, methylethanolamine, monoisopropanolamine, diisopropanolamine, 2-hydroxyethylpiperazine, piperazine, 1-methylpiperazine, 2-methylpiperazine, 2-(2-aminoethoxy) ethanol; 2-(2-tertiarybutylamino)propoxyethanol, 2-(2-tertiarybutylamino)ethoxyethanol, 2-(2-isopropylamino)propoxyethanol, tertiaryamylaminoethoxyethanol, (1-methyl-2-ethylpropylamino)ethoxyethanol; tris(2-hydroxyethyl)amine (triethanolamine, TEA); tris(2-hydroxypropyl)amine (triisopropanol); tributanolamine; bis(2-hydroxyethyl)methylamine (methyldiethanolamine, MDEA); 2-diethylaminoethanol (diethylethanolamine, DEEA); 2-dimethylaminoethanol (dimethylethanolamine, DMEA); 3-dimethylamino-1-propanol; 3-diethylamine-1-propanol; 2-diisopropylaminoethanol (DIEA); N,N′-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)methylamine (methyldiisopropanolamine, MDIPA); N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine (dihydroxyethylpiperazine, DiHEP)); diethanolamine (DEA); 2-(tert-butylamino)ethanol; 2-(tert-butylaminoethoxy)ethanol; 1-amino-2-methylpropan-2-ol; 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP), 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol, and blends thereof; a physical solvent, preferably the physical solvent is dimethyl ether of polyethylene glycol; propylene carbonate; N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone; methanol; N-acetylmorpholine; N-formylmorpholine; 1,3-dimethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2(1H)-pyrimidinone; methoxytriglycol; glycerol; sulfolane; ethylene glycol; or blends thereof; and water, preferably from 5 to 40 weight percent water based on the total weight of the hybrid solvent, to produce a purified hydrocarbon fluid stream and a rich hybrid solvent containing hybrid solvent, hydrocarbons, and acid gas(es); ii) passing the rich hybrid solvent to a separation unit to separate hydrocarbons from the rich hybrid solvent providing a hydrocarbon stream and a rich hybrid solvent with low hydrocarbon content; iii) passing the rich hybrid solvent with low hydrocarbon content to a regenerating unit to produce a gas stream containing acid gas(es) and water vapor which is condensed and a regenerated lean hybrid solvent; and iv) passing the hydrocarbon stream to a second purification unit wherein the hydrocarbon stream is counter currently contacted with lean regenerated hybrid solvent and the condensed water from the regenerating unit to produce a purified hydrocarbon stream and a second rich hybrid solvent.

In one embodiment of the process of the present invention, the process disclosed herein above further comprises the steps: v) combining the rich hybrid solvent with low hydrocarbon content from the separation unit with the second rich hybrid solvent from the second purification unit; and vi) passing the combined rich solvents through the regenerating unit.

In another embodiment of the process of the present invention, the process disclosed herein above further comprises the steps of: vii) passing the hydrocarbon stream to a compressor to provide a compressed hydrocarbon stream having a higher pressure; and viii) passing the compressed hydrocarbon through a cooler.

In another embodiment of the process of the present invention, the process disclosed herein above further comprises the steps of: ix) passing the purified hydrocarbon stream to a compressor to provide a compressed purified hydrocarbon stream having a higher pressure; and x) passing the compressed purified hydrocarbon stream through a cooler.

In another embodiment of the process of the present invention, the process disclosed herein above further comprises the step of: ix) combing the purified hydrocarbon stream and the purified hydrocarbon fluid stream.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic of a process for treating a fluid stream comprising a regeneration stage of a known configuration.

FIG. 2 is a schematic of an embodiment of a process for treating a fluid stream of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic of a second embodiment of a process for treating a fluid stream of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to treatment of fluids to remove acid gases, in which the fluid stream is contacted with a hybrid solvent which preferentially absorbs the acid gases. More particularly, the invention is concerned with the regeneration of a hybrid solvent of the type specified for reuse and maximizing the amount of purified fluid stream produced.

Fluid streams treatable by the process of the present invention may be a gas, a liquid, or mixtures thereof, for example gases produced by a gasifier comprising hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide; a syngas stream comprising hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide; natural gas; refinery gas; hydrocarbon gases from shale pyrolysis; synthesis gas; and liquids such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and natural gas liquids (NGL). For example, fluid streams derived from natural gas reservoirs, petroleum, or coal, comprise methane (CH₃) and commonly exist in mixtures with other hydrocarbons, principally ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), butanes (C₄H₁₀), pentanes (C₅H₁₂), and to a lesser extent, heavier hydrocarbons. Such fluid streams comprise a variety of impurities such as hydrogen (H₂), water (H₂O), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen (N₂), and acid gases, for example carbon dioxide (CO₂), hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), carbon disulfide (CS₂), ammonia (NH₃), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), carbonyl sulfide (COS), and/or mercaptans. In one embodiment, the term “contaminant” refers generally to one or more of C₂ or heavier hydrocarbons, impurities, acid gases, and mixtures thereof to be removed from a fluid stream.

The term “hybrid solvent”, as used herein, shall mean a solution comprising a combined chemical solvent and physical solvent with some water, which solutions are capable of absorbing acid gases. Suitable hybrid solvents useful in the process of the present invention may remove one or more of the above listed contaminants from the fluid stream. Solvents may be non-selective, i.e., remove one or more heavier hydrocarbon/impurity/acid gas or selective, i.e., they may target specific heavier hydrocarbons/impurities/acid gas(es).

Preferably, the chemical solvent is one or more amino compound. Suitable amino compounds may be selected from a primary amine, a secondary amine, a tertiary amine, or blends thereof. Alkanolamines are suitable, especially those having 1 to 4 and preferably 2 to 3 carbon atoms per alkanol radical, while dialkanolamines are particularly advantageous. Amino compounds useful in the process of the present invention include, but are not limited to, monoethanolamine, methylethanolamine, monoisopropanolamine, diisopropanolamine, 2-hydroxyethylpiperazine, piperazine, 1-methylpiperazine, 2-methylpiperazine, 2-(2-aminoethoxy) ethanol; 2-(2-tertiarybutylamino)propoxyethanol, 2-(2-tertiarybutylamino)ethoxyethanol, 2-(2-isopropylamino)propoxyethanol, tertiaryamylaminoethoxyethanol, (1-methyl-2-ethylpropylamino)ethoxyethanol; tris(2-hydroxyethyl)amine (triethanolamine, TEA); tris(2-hydroxypropyl)amine (triisopropanol); tributanolamine; bis(2-hydroxyethyl)methylamine (methyldiethanolamine, MDEA); 2-diethylaminoethanol (diethylethanolamine, DEEA); 2-dimethylaminoethanol (dimethylethanolamine, DMEA); 3-dimethylamino-1-propanol; 3-diethylamino-1-propanol; 2-diisopropylaminoethanol (DIEA); N,N′-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)methylamine (methyldiisopropanolamine, MDIPA); N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine (dihydroxyethylpiperazine, DiHEP)); diethanolamine (DEA); 2-(tert-butylamino)ethanol; 2-(tert-butylaminoethoxy)ethanol; 1-amino-2-methylpropan-2-ol; 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP), 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol, and blends thereof.

A hybrid solvent suitable for use in the present invention comprises a chemical solvent in an amount of equal to or less than 70 weight percent, preferably equal to or less than 60 weight percent, more preferably equal to or less than 50, and more preferably equal to or less than 40 weight percent weight percent based on the total weight of the hybrid solvent. Preferably the amount of the chemical solvent present in the hybrid solvent is an amount of equal to or greater than 5 weight percent, more preferably equal to or greater than 10 weight percent, more preferably equal to or greater than 20, and preferably equal to or greater than 30 weight percent based on the total weight of the hybrid solvent.

Suitable physical solvents include, but are not limited to, one or more of dimethyl ether of polyethylene glycol (DMPEG), propylene carbonate (PC), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), methanol (MeOH), blends of N-acetylmorpholine and N-formylmorpholine, 1,3-dimethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2(1H)-pyrimidinone (DMTP), methoxytriglycol (MTG), glycerol, sulfolane, ethylene glycol, and blends thereof.

DMPEG is a mixture of dimethyl ethers of polyethylene glycol (CH₃O(C₂H₄O)_(n)CH₃ (n is from 2 to 9) used in what is referred to as the SELEXOL™ process to physically absorb H₂S, CO₂, and mercaptans from gas streams, for example see U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,599 which is incorporated herein in its entirety. Solvents containing DMPEG are licensed and/or manufactured by several companies including Coastal Chemical Company (as COASTAL™ AGR) and Dow (SELEXOL). Other process suppliers such as Clariant GmbH of Germany offer similar solvents. Clariant solvents are a family of dialkyl ethers of polyethylene glycol under the GENOSORB™. DMPEG can be used for selective H₂S removal which requires stripping, vacuum stripping, or a reboiler.

A hybrid solvent suitable for use in the present invention comprises a physical solvent in an amount of equal to or less than 70 weight percent, preferably equal to or less than 60 weight percent, more preferably equal to or less than 50, and more preferably equal to or less than 40 weight percent based on the total weight of the hybrid solvent. Preferably the amount of the physical solvent present in the hybrid solvent is an amount of equal to or greater than 5 weight percent, more preferably equal to or greater than 10 weight percent more preferably equal to or greater than 15 weight percent, and more preferably equal to or greater than 25 weight percent based on the total weight of the hybrid solvent.

A hybrid solvent suitable for use in the present invention comprises a condensed stripping solvent, preferably water, that when heated the condensed stripping solvent vaporizes to become a condensable stripping gas, in the case for water it becomes steam. Preferably the amount of condensed stripping gas (in liquid form) is present in the solvent in an amount of equal to or less than 50 weight percent, preferably equal to or less than 40 weight percent, more preferably equal to or less than 30 weight percent based on the total weight of the hybrid solvent. Preferably the amount of condensed stripping gas (in liquid form) is present in the solvent in an amount of equal to or greater than 5 weight percent, more preferably equal to or greater than 15 weight percent and more preferably equal to or greater than 25 weight percent based on the total weight of the hybrid solvent.

A conventional solvent process for removing contaminants from a fluid stream is shown in FIG. 1; the solvent regeneration takes place in a regeneration unit, typically a stripper column with a reboiler at the bottom to furnish heat to the solvent. The stripper column is generally a tower designed to create efficient gas/liquid contact containing either trays or packing. The rich hybrid solvent containing the contaminants, for example sour gases (such as CO₂ and H₂S) is injected into the stripper column typically at or near a location near the top and flows down the tower while a vaporized condensable stripping gas, for example steam, generated in the reboiler flows up the tower countercurrent to the descending rich solvent. The condensable stripping gas aids in “stripping” the contaminants from the rich hybrid solvent liquid and sends them back up the tower and out the top of the stripper column. The heat added to the stripper reboiler increases the temperature of the hybrid solvent somewhat, but most of the heat goes into vaporizing the condensable stripping gas which, in turn, flows into and up the stripper column This heat added or inputted into the reboiler must be furnished from an outside source such as steam from another process, heat transfer media circulated through the reboiler, or directly fired into the reboiler. When contaminants, as gas and/or vapor, pass out the top of the stripper column, a large amount of condensable stripping gas also goes out as an admixture with the contaminants. This overhead condensable stripping gas and gas/vapor stream (called overhead) can be higher in temperature than the feed to the top of the stripper column. The gases and condensable stripping gas which flow from the top of the stripper flow to a condenser (called a reflux condenser) where the contaminants are cooled to near ambient temperatures and most of the condensable stripping gas condenses into a condensed stripper gas, for example water. In the traditional solvent unit, this condensed stripper gas is separated via the reflux receiver and is returned near the top of the stripper. Depending on the make-up of the contaminant gases/vapors they may be disposed of, separated, captured, and/or further treated.

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional fluid stream treatment process including a single purification unit 12 in which a solvent is used to contact and purify the contaminated fluid. In other modes of practice, the purification stage may include a plurality of treatments units in which this purifying action takes place. The multiple units may be the same or different. In other embodiments, membranes may be used in addition to absorbing units and/or as an alternative to scrubbing units.

In many instances, the contact between the solvent and the contaminated fluid, such as a hydrocarbon fluid stream, occurs in unit 12 in counter-current fashion as shown in FIG. 1. The lean solvent enters the first purification unit 12 at an upper end 14 via inlet 16. After having absorbed contaminants from the fluid being treated, the resultant rich solvent exits the first purification unit 12 at a lower end 18 via an outlet 20. The contaminated fluid moves through unit 12 in the opposite direction. Via pathway 21, the contaminated fluid stream enters the first purification unit 12 at lower end 18 and exits in more pure form from upper end 14 via pathway 23. When the purified fluid is a gas, the purified gas might entrain vaporized solvent, water vapor, or the like. It may be desirable to separate the purified gas from such entrained components. Consequently, the purified gas may be directed to an optional condenser (not illustrated in the figure), where the vaporized solvent or water vapor exiting the unit 12 is condensed.

As used herein, the term “lean” with respect to a solvent shall mean that the concentration of contaminants in the solvent is sufficiently low such that mass transfer of contaminant from the fluid being treated to the solvent will occur when the solvent and contaminated fluid are contacted. In one embodiment, a lean solvent includes a regenerated hybrid solvent solution that has been treated to remove contaminant content from a rich hybrid solvent solution, optionally fresh solvent introduced to the system that has not yet been used for purification, and/or a combination of these. In another embodiment, a lean solvent includes a regenerated solvent that has been treated to remove contaminant content from a rich solvent, optionally fresh solvent introduced to the system that has not yet been used for purification, and/or a combination of these. “Fresh solvent” shall refer to a solvent that is being introduced into the treatment system 10 for the first time from a suitable source. Fresh solvent also is lean with respect to contaminants. The term “rich” with respect to a solvent shall refer to a solvent that has picked up contaminants relative to the lean solvent during the course of a purification treatment.

After the rich solvent exits the first purification unit 12, it is desirable to regenerate the solvent so that the solvent can be recycled back to the first purification unit 12 for more cycle(s) of treatment. Accordingly, a first pathway 26 is used to convey the rich solvent to a separation unit, preferably a flash tank 28, where depressurization takes place, thereby desorbing a major part of the absorbed hydrocarbons 29. The rich solvent with lower hydrocarbon content is passed from the flash tank 28 via line 30 through a heat exchanger 31 and line 32 then introduced into the top of a regeneration column, preferably a stripper column 40 where the lean solvent is regenerated from the rich solvent. For purposes of illustration, FIG. 1 shows a regeneration unit that includes as a stripper column 40 having a top and a bottom and comprising at least one section of vapor-liquid contacting device(s) 41, sometimes referred to as stage(s) and a corresponding reboiler 50. In a traditional stripper column 40 the rich solvent typically enters towards the top of the column at a location 33 which is equal to or lower than the location of the condensed stripper gas return 63 from the reflux receiver 60.

As used herein, and with respect to a column, the terms “upper” and “lower” should be understood as relative to each other. For example, withdrawal or addition of a stream from an upper portion of a column means that the withdrawal or addition is at a higher position (relative to the ground when the column is in operation) than a stream withdrawn or added from a lower region of the same column. Viewed from another perspective, the term upper may thus refer to the upper half of a column, whereas the term lower may refer to the lower half of a column. Similarly, where the term “middle” is used, it is to be understood that a middle portion of the column is intermediate to an upper portion and a lower portion. However, where upper, middle, and lower are used to refer to a column, it should not be understood that such column is strictly divided into thirds by these terms.

In other embodiments of the prior art and the present invention, the stripper column 40 may comprise as many vapor-liquid contacting sections as needed to provide lean solvent, for example as many as 1 to 20 sections or more (2 to 20 section not depicted in FIG. 1), in other words the stripper column may comprise 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, or more sections. Each vapor-liquid contacting section may comprise mass transfer devises, such as packing or trays, to facilitate the desorption of the contaminants

As used herein, with respect to vapor-liquid contacting sections, the term portion of a section should be understood to mean that there may be a location within the section wherein some part or fraction of the section is above that location and some part or fraction of the section is below that location.

In other modes of practice of the prior art and the present invention, the first portion of the regeneration stage may include a plurality of stripper units with at least two sections and/or reboiler units in which corresponding regeneration action takes place. The multiple units may be the same or different. In addition to the stripper column 40, other kinds of regeneration equipment can be used to help regenerate lean solvent if desired.

As shown in FIG. 1, first pathway 32 is used to convey the rich solvent from the heat exchanger 31 to the upper portion, at or above the first section 41, of stripper column 40 at an inlet position 33. The solvent then is treated in stripper column 40 by contacting the solvent with condensable stripping gas to heat the solvent. Generally, the solubility of dissolved contaminants, such as acid gases, tends to decrease as the temperature of the solvent increases. Thus, heating the solvent with the condensable stripping gas in the stripper column 40 as the solvent moves from the top of the column to the bottom of the column strips away contaminants to provide a solvent that is more lean with respect to these contaminants

Stripped contaminants exit the top of the stripper column 40 via line 49 with the condensable stripper gas (for example steam) as an admixture of contaminants, steam and possibly solvent. The admixture is directed to a condenser 60. In condenser 60, solvent, condensed stripper gas (for example condensed water vapor), and other compounds that may leave the top the stripper column 40 together with stripped contaminants are condensed. The stripped contaminants are discharged from the condenser to line 61 for further downstream processing or disposal as desired. At least part of the condensed stripping gas, e.g., water vapor, and/or solvent and other compounds that may have condensed is returned via line 62 to the upper portion of the stripper column 40 at or above the same location of the rich feed at the return position 63 and is used to aid in stripping the contaminants from the solvent being regenerated.

Solvent leaving the bottom of the stripper column through line 51 passes to a reboiler 50 which is connected back to the stripper column by return line 52 and reenters the stripper column at location 53. The solvent circulating through the reboiler 50 is heated to produce additional steam which is feed back into the stripper column 40. Solvent will have an extended residence time in these units 40 and 50 until a portion of the solvent exits reboiler 50 via line 54 through the heat exchanger 31 and back to the purification unit 12.

The hot solvent leaving reboiler 50 via line 54 heats up the solvent being transported to the stripper column 40 via line 30 in the heat exchanger 31, while the relatively cooler solvent being conveyed to the stripper column 40 in line 31 cools the relatively hot solvent leaving reboiler 50 in line 54. An additional cooling unit 56 may be incorporated into line 55 to further cool the lean solvent prior to the solvent being introduced to the purification unit 12 via inlet 16.

One of the objects of the process of the present invention is to improve the efficiency of the regeneration step, specifically the saving of energy required for regenerating the hybrid solvent. This is accomplished by reducing the stripping solvent, i.e., water, content recycled into the regeneration column, preferably a stripper column 40, FIG. 2. In the process of the present invention, the water which is condensed in the condenser 60 is not reintroduced into the top of the stripper column 40 as in the conventional fluid stream treatment process. Reducing the water content means that, at the same temperature, the hybrid solvent has a lower total vapor pressure resulting in a lower total pressure for a regeneration step at a fixed temperature. This will cause the partial pressure of the acid component to be further from its equilibrium value and hence the driving force for mass transfer (stripping) to be greater. However, it will usually not be possible to operate the regenerator at lower pressure since this is determined by downstream units. In this case the pressure may be kept the same, and, providing there are no heat transfer constraints, the temperature may be raised. This again is advantageous for the stripping, since at a higher temperature the acid gas is less soluble.

In addition, the reduced proportion of water in the hybrid solvent reduces the strength of the chemical bond between the hybrid solvent and the acid gas, which lowers the resistance of the absorbed gases to stripping

For the invention to make a significant effect on the energy consumption required for regeneration of a hybrid solvent, the hybrid solvent should not contain so much water that its removal from the regeneration zone does not substantially alter the thermodynamic and chemical conditions obtaining there. Some water/steam should, nevertheless, remain in the regenerator as this is necessary for the removal of the acid gases from the regenerator. Furthermore, sufficient water should be present in the hybrid solvent that a significant proportion of it can be withdrawn from the regenerator without the temperature at the bottom of the regenerator becoming unstable due to excessively low partial pressure of the remaining water; a remedy for this phenomenon is, however, proposed below.

A second object of the process of the present invention is to maximize the amount of purified gas. This is accomplished by the use of a second purification unit 70. The desorbed hydrocarbon stream 29 from the flash tank 28 is fed into the lower end of the second purification unit 70. In one embodiment (not shown in the drawings) the hydrocarbon stream is subjected to one or more compression/cooling operations prior to entering the second purification unit. Lean regenerated hybrid solvent 73 enters the second purification unit 70 at an upper end via inlet 74. The water from condenser 60 is fed into the second purification unit 70 via line 71 and enters the second purification unit 70 at inlet 72, which is preferably lower on the column than the lean regenerated hybrid solvent inlet 74. Preferably the condensed water 71 and the regenerated absorbent solvent 73 are not mixed together prior to entering the second purification unit 70.

The absorbed hydrocarbon stream moves through unit 70 in the opposite direction of the regenerated hybrid solvent and exits in more pure form from upper end via pathway 77 and may be kept separate from and/or combined with the purified stream 23 from the first purification unit 12. When the purified fluid is a gas, the purified gas might entrain vaporized solvent, water vapor, or the like. It may be desirable to separate the purified gas from such entrained components. Consequently, the purified gas may be directed to an optional condenser (not illustrated in the figure), where the vaporized solvent or water vapor exiting the unit 70 is condensed. After having absorbed contaminants from the fluid being treated, the resultant rich hybrid solvent exits the second purification unit 70 at a lower end via an outlet 76 and is combined with the rich hybrid solvent 30 from the flash tank 28 and is then fed to the stripper column 40 for regeneration.

In one embodiment of the process of the present invention, the hydrocarbon stream 29 leaving the flash tank 28 is subjected to one or more compression/cooling operations. In one embodiment (not shown in the drawings) the hydrocarbon stream 29 leaving the flash tank 28 is passed through one or more compression unit (not shown in the drawings) followed by one or more cooler (not shown in the drawings) before entering the second purification unit 70.

In another embodiment of the process of the present invention, the purified stream 77 leaving the second purification unit 70 is subjected to one or more compression/cooling operations. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the purified stream 77 leaving the second purification unit 70 is passed through one or more compression unit 80 followed by one or more cooler 90 before combining with the purified stream 23 from the first purification unit 12 to form combined stream 79.

The present invention provides for plant and process to treat a fluid stream which (1) is more energy efficient and/or cost effective by lowering the amount of energy required to produce a lean solvent stream from a rich solvent stream and (2) provides a higher yield of the purified fluid stream.

EXAMPLES

Simulation of a Stripping Column with Condenser Feed Modification.

Two different systems are simulated and compared. In Comparative Example A, a conventional gas treating process is modeled (e.g., as in FIG. 1). In Example 1, a gas treating process of the present invention is modeled (e.g., FIG. 3). The simulations are performed using Aspen Plus software. The property method used for the fluid phases is the electrolyte NRTL model of Chen and coworkers, see Song, Y., Chen, C.-C., 2009, Symmetric Electrolyte Nonrandom Two-Liquid Activity Coefficient Model, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 48, 7788-7797. doi:10.1021/ie9004578, Kraats, E. J. van de, Darton, R. C., 1984, Process For Regeneration Of Solvents In Hydrogen Sulfide Removal From Gases, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,763 Model parameters are developed from pure component and binary vapor-liquid equilibrium data. The absorption and regeneration columns are simulated using Aspen's RateSep model, which is a rate-based column model. The main absorption column has 28 valve trays and operates at 6920 kPa. The regeneration column has 20 valve trays and operates at 175 kPa. The associated condensing unit (60 in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3) temperature is set to 49° C. The rich solvent is fed to the top tray of the regeneration unit at a temperature of 365 K. In the case of the present invention, the second absorption column 70 in FIG. 3 has 16 valve trays and operates at 620 kPa. Only 7 mole-% of the lean hybrid solvent 55 is diverted to 73 and fed to the top tray of the second absorption column 70. The condensed water line 71 is fed to the fifth tray of the second absorption column 70. All other unit operations on the flowsheet are configured using conventional settings for gas treating operations. The reboiler duty of the regenerator is adjusted to achieve the same lean loading of H₂S in the lean hybrid solvent in both cases, where loading is defined as the ratio of moles of H₂S to moles of alkanolamine

The process conditions and composition for the feed gas is shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1 CONDITIONS Flow Rate kmol/s 1.29 Temperature K 305 Pressure kPa 6920 COMPOSITION Water Mole fraction 0.0008 CO₂ Mole fraction 0.0555 H₂S Mole fraction 0.0393 Methane Mole fraction 0.8213 Ethane Mole fraction 0.0527 Propane Mole fraction 0.0208 Butane Mole fraction 0.0093 Methyl mercaptan ppmv 119 Ethyl mercaptan ppmv 85 Propyl mercaptan ppmv 27 n-Butyl mercaptan ppmv 3

The process conditions and composition for the lean hybrid solvent is shown in Table 2. In Table 2, “MDEA” is methyldiethanolamine, “MTG” is methoxytriglycol, and “Loading” for a given acid gas species is defined as the ratio of the amount of moles of that species in solution to the amount of moles of alkanolamine in solution. “MTG” is methoxytriglycol.

In Table 3, “hydrocarbon loss” and “mercaptan removal” are defined as the molar percentage of hydrocarbons or mercaptans, respectively, from the feed gas stream that are not recovered in the purified gas stream. In Comparative Example A, this difference is between purified gas stream 23 and the feed gas stream 21 in FIG. 1, while in the present invention, Example 1, this difference is between stream 79 in FIG. 3 and the feed gas stream 21 in FIG. 3. “CO₂ Slip” is defined as the molar percentage of CO₂ from the feed gas stream 21 that remains in the purified gas stream 23, or in the case of Example 1, in the combined stream 79.

TABLE 2 CONDITIONS Flow Rate kmol/s 1.14 Temperature K 318 Pressure kPa 6950 COMPOSITION Water Mass fraction 0.2200 MDEA Mass fraction 0.4100 MTG Mass fraction 0.3700 CO₂ Loading 0.0000 H₂S Loading 0.0002

In the cases of Comparative Example A and Example 1, the processes are designed for selectively removing sulfur, and therefore it is desired to minimize hydrocarbon losses and maximize CO₂ slip while removing as much of the sulfur-containing compounds as possible. In the case of Comparative Example A, “Product gas” refers to purified gas stream 23 in FIG. 1, whereas in the present invention, Example 1, “Product gas” refers to the combined stream 79 in FIG. 3. “Total duty” includes heat duty required for the reboiler 50, the condensing unit 60, and the lean cooler 56, as well as, in the case of Example 1, duty for cooler 90 and compressor 80.

As shown in Table 3, the simulation of the present invention, Example 1, performed significantly better than the traditional simulation, Comparative Example A. There is a 25% percent reduction in the amount of energy required by the reboiler to achieve the same lean loading, and an order of magnitude reduction in the amount of hydrocarbon lost.

TABLE 3 Com. Ex. A Example 1 Total Hydrocarbon Loss mol % 1.1 0.1 Total Mercaptan Removal mol % 87 82 CO₂ Slip mol % 40 45 CO₂ Concentration in mol % 2.4 2.7 Product Gas H₂S Concentration in ppmv 11 11 Product Gas Total Mercaptan ppmv 32 47 Concentration in Product Gas Reboiler Duty GJ/hr 45 35 Total Duty GJ/hr 87 68 

What is claimed is:
 1. A process for treating a hydrocarbon fluid stream containing one or more acid gas comprising the steps of: i) absorbing one or more acid gas from the hydrocarbon fluid stream in a first purification unit by counter currently contacting the fluid stream with a lean hybrid solvent comprising a chemical solvent, a physical solvent, and water to produce a purified hydrocarbon fluid stream and a rich hybrid solvent containing hybrid solvent, hydrocarbons, and acid gas(es); ii) passing the rich hybrid solvent to a separation unit to separate hydrocarbons from the rich hybrid solvent providing a hydrocarbon stream and a rich hybrid solvent with low hydrocarbon content; iii) passing the rich hybrid solvent with low hydrocarbon content to a regenerating unit to produce a gas stream containing acid gas(es) and water vapor which is condensed and a regenerated lean hybrid solvent; and iv) passing the hydrocarbon stream to a second purification unit wherein the hydrocarbon stream is counter currently contacted with lean regenerated hybrid solvent and the condensed water from the regenerating unit to produce a purified hydrocarbon stream and a second rich hybrid solvent.
 2. The process of claim 1 further comprising the steps: v) combining the rich hybrid solvent with low hydrocarbon content from the separation unit with the second rich hybrid solvent from the second purification unit; and vi) passing the combined rich solvents through the regenerating unit.
 3. The process of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: vii) passing the hydrocarbon stream to a compressor to provide a compressed hydrocarbon stream having a higher pressure; and viii) passing the compressed hydrocarbon stream through a cooler.
 4. The process of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: ix) passing the purified hydrocarbon stream to a compressor to provide a compressed purified hydrocarbon stream having a higher pressure; and x) passing the compressed purified hydrocarbon stream through a cooler.
 5. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of: xi) combining the purified hydrocarbon stream and the purified hydrocarbon fluid stream.
 6. The process of claim 1 wherein the fluid stream is derived from natural gas and is a gas, a liquid, or mixtures thereof.
 7. The process of claim 1 wherein the physical solvent is dimethyl ether of polyethylene glycol; propylene carbonate; N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone; methanol; N-acetylmorpholine; N-formylmorpholine; 1,3-dimethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2(1H)-pyrimidinone; methoxytriglycol; glycerol; sulfolane; ethylene glycol; or blends thereof.
 8. The process of claim 1 wherein the chemical solvent is monoethanolamine, methylethanolamine, monoisopropanolamine, diisopropanolamine, 2-hydroxyethylpiperazine, piperazine, 1-methylpiperazine, 2-methylpiperazine, 2-(2-aminoethoxy) ethanol; 2-(2-tertiarybutylamino)propoxyethanol, 2-(2-tertiarybutylamino)ethoxyethanol, 2-(2-isopropylamino)propoxyethanol, tertiaryamylaminoethoxyethanol, (1-methyl-2-ethylpropylamino)ethoxyethanol; tris(2-hydroxyethyl)amine (triethanolamine, TEA); tris(2-hydroxypropyl)amine (triisopropanol); tributanolamine; bis(2-hydroxyethyl)methylamine (methyldiethanolamine, MDEA); 2-diethylaminoethanol (diethylethanolamine, DEEA); 2-dimethylaminoethanol (dimethylethanolamine, DMEA); 3-dimethylamino-1-propanol; 3-diethylamino-1-propanol; 2-diisopropylaminoethanol (DIEA); N,N′-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)methylamine (methyldiisopropanolamine, MDIPA); N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine (dihydroxyethylpiperazine, DiHEP)); diethanolamine (DEA); 2-(tert-butylamino)ethanol; 2-(tert-butylaminoethoxy)ethanol; 1-amino-2-methylpropan-2-ol; 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP), 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol, and blends thereof.
 9. The process of claim 1 wherein the hybrid solvent comprises 5 to 40 weight percent water based on the total weight of the hybrid solvent. 